Tag Archives: cat safety

Don’t run the risk of losing your feline forever. That internal ID is the gadget that will bring him back home.

Summer’s here! And we’re starting our “Sand and Surf Cat” season with the big safety issue: proper ID for your cat. According to our friends at the American Humane Association and HomeAgain, around 10 million dogs and cats are lost or stolen in the U.S. every year, with the big majority of them never being reunited with their families. BUT (and it’s a big one) the numbers are changing…

A whopping 52% of dogs and 38% of kitties made it back home. The difference? They were microchipped!

Technology rocks: The collar/name tag combo has been the favorite for generations but the fact is that though it makes your cat a fashionista, it really fails at its job ‘cause:

Us cats are pretty crafty at taking them off

The tag can fall off and we end up all dressed up with no home to go to

And most importantly, the majority of cats are nudist! Yes, we don’t like having all that bling around our necks. It’s distracting, loud and messes with our cool mojo. Not to mention, it announces our presence to all the outside wild animal population. It’s like wearing a big sign saying: “come beat me up!”

Microchipping is a simple, pain free process done at the vet or the shelter. The smaller than a grain of rice device is inserted via injection under your kitty’s skin, usually between the shoulders where we can’t scratch very well. It carries a specific ID number. With that number you have to sign up on the Pet Recovery Service site and add your name, phone and address. That way if kitty finds herself lost in a shelter and scanned, the volunteers there can trace her back to you. It’s high tech family reunion!

Some facts about the microchip:

No, it’s not a GPS: It only carries the ID number, not your cat’s current location.

Keep your Recovery Service up to date on new addresses or phone numbers.

Indoor cats need it too: Very Important! The “my cat is strictly indoor” routine doesn’t apply. Those kitties may roam out on a whim to chase a bird or escaping a scary situation inside like those crazy parties you throw or the terrifying fireworks that burn the sky!

So if you still want to lavish your feline with bling, go ahead. Just make sure she is really protected from the inside too.

*Need more info? Check out the cool infographic from the ASPCA that has declared July 1 as ID Your Pet Day 😀